Workboats and Bridges

This probably has been already said but I'm sorta lazy to do a search.

Have you ever had an island, and there was a one-tile ocean between it, and it was a bother to move workers/units over there using boats?

Well, how about using the workboats to create bridges? They would work like a road.

A few details:

-- They can only be built over one tile of water. Perhaps after some more research it can be extended to two tiles.
-- It would only be available after researching a certain tech (I'm thinking construction or engineering)
-- Most naval units can cross under it. Maybe there can be certain ones that can't (e.g. the huge ones).
-- During times of war, enemy ships can "blockade" them so they're unable to be used.
-- Enemy ships can also pillage them.
-- They can be built in either friendly or neutral territory. If built in neutral territory, any player can use them.
-- The graphics will change during the eras. At the beginning, I'm thinking of it looking like a stone bridge, but as you enter the modern era it changes to suspension bridge.
-- Perhaps there can be a limit to how many units can be on it at the same time (no good to have 150 tanks on a bridge 'cos it would most likely collapse). When the bridge is full, it becomes impassable until another unit gets off it.
-- There is an attack bonus if you attack a unit on a bridge.
-- If you researched railroads, you can send workers on the bridge to "upgrade" it and make it functionally like a railroad.

Any other suggestions? Anything you would change?

(I know it's not quite the most realistic as there's no bridges crossing 100+ miles of land, but still useful you think?)

I could imagine some form of ferry between forts...

aimeeandbeatles said:

This probably has been already said but I'm sorta lazy to do a search.

Click to expand...

This is the only previous thread I could find:
Bridges & Canals, jerVL/kg, 27/1/06

Have you ever had an island, and there was a one-tile ocean between it, and it was a bother to move workers/units over there using boats?

Well, how about using the workboats to create bridges? They would work like a road.

Click to expand...

Before I read the details, I'll just say that I think a better idea would be to have workers and workboats create bridges. A workboat would need to be on the tile, and a worker could them be loaded onto the workboat to carry out the bridge-building. At completion, the worker would be automatically unloaded, and the workboat used up. IMO, this represents the significant infrastructure investment of a bridge better than merely having a workboat creating it.

A few details:

-- They can only be built over one tile of water. Perhaps after some more research it can be extended to two tiles.
-- It would only be available after researching a certain tech (I'm thinking construction or engineering)

Click to expand...

Engineering and construction are too early, IMO. Really, such large scale bridges were only possible in the last century. Perhaps a tech like Composites could allow this (with the justification being that strong alloys are needed to build such bridges).

-- Most naval units can cross under it. Maybe there can be certain ones that can't (e.g. the huge ones).
-- During times of war, enemy ships can "blockade" them so they're unable to be used.

Click to expand...

Do you mean from sea access, or from land access?

-- Enemy ships can also pillage them.
-- They can be built in either friendly or neutral territory. If built in neutral territory, any player can use them.
-- The graphics will change during the eras. At the beginning, I'm thinking of it looking like a stone bridge, but as you enter the modern era it changes to suspension bridge.

Click to expand...

As said, they should only be allowed in the modern era, IMO.

-- Perhaps there can be a limit to how many units can be on it at the same time (no good to have 150 tanks on a bridge 'cos it would most likely collapse). When the bridge is full, it becomes impassable until another unit gets off it.

Click to expand...

I think the bridge should be an unstoppable tile for land units. i.e. they cannot end their turn on the bridge. It should only be used as a pathway from one side to the other.

-- There is an attack bonus if you attack a unit on a bridge.

Click to expand...

See above.

-- If you researched railroads, you can send workers on the bridge to "upgrade" it and make it functionally like a railroad.

Any other suggestions? Anything you would change?

(I know it's not quite the most realistic as there's no bridges crossing 100+ miles of land, but still useful you think?)

Click to expand...

It is a bit unrealistic, but it is feasible enough in modern times to allow in the game. Perhaps tunnels would be an even better idea.

I like the idea somewhat but I'd like an auto ferry system even more.

Camikaze said:

Before I read the details, I'll just say that I think a better idea would be to have workers and workboats create bridges. A workboat would need to be on the tile, and a worker could them be loaded onto the workboat to carry out the bridge-building. At completion, the worker would be automatically unloaded, and the workboat used up. IMO, this represents the significant infrastructure investment of a bridge better than merely having a workboat creating it.

Click to expand...

Like that idea. Workers the only ones that can load onto it? (I sometimes use workboats to explore my coasts early on as they're cheap and the only one available.)

Engineering and construction are too early, IMO. Really, such large scale bridges were only possible in the last century. Perhaps a tech like Composites could allow this (with the justification being that strong alloys are needed to build such bridges).

Click to expand...

IMHO, composites is a bit late. Perhaps there could be a special industrial-era technology allowing this.

Do you mean from sea access, or from land access?

Click to expand...

If blockaded, no units can cross the bridge. Could be expanded to block both sea and land access.

Also, perhaps there could be a way for a land unit to blockade the bridge. Sea units could still pass under it, but land units couldn't unless you attacked and killed it.

As said, they should only be allowed in the modern era, IMO.

Click to expand...

Maybe different types of bridges for different cultures? (e.g. some would have granite bridges, others have suspension)

I think the bridge should be an unstoppable tile for land units. i.e. they cannot end their turn on the bridge. It should only be used as a pathway from one side to the other.

Click to expand...

Never thought of that. Could possibly so if there's no movement points left the bridges become impassable to that unit. Also, what if a land unit blockades the bridge? Technically they're ending their turn there.

It is a bit unrealistic, but it is feasible enough in modern times to allow in the game. Perhaps tunnels would be an even better idea.

Click to expand...

Hmmm...

Also, perhaps one of the special civ/leader traits could allow bridges to be built earlier on.

About the ferry system: Perhaps it could be used on other coastal tiles -- e.g. if it's 3-4 tiles away and doesn't cross ocean, it can be built. It would maybe take units a turn to cross it. Maybe good for weird geography where you have two points of land only 2 tiles away, but you have to go around this huge bay/lake to get to it.

Perhaps Industrialism would be a good tech to allow bridge construction with.

Yeah, thanks. I see how much I'm loved around here. out:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=291938

I think I covered the concept and pitfalls pretty well, if I do say so myself.

Happy New Year! Free wedgies for everyone!

Bridges should be limited to estuaries and rivers that are navigable to ocean going units
One tile Straits should have auto ferries with limited use by units
More than that you should have to use transport units